UK boxing champ sends heartfelt message after raising over £47k in Ricky Hatton's honour

15:41, Wed, Sep 16, 2026 Updated: 16:11, Thu, Sep 17, 2026

From the source The challenge was inspired by Barker’s final interview with Hatton just days before the boxing legend's death (Image: @firstroundtv)

Former world champion Darren Barker has raised nearly £50,000 after completing an extraordinary challenge in honour of the late Ricky Hatton. Barker undertook 'The Longest Round', travelling from Edinburgh to Morocco and arriving by boat on the first anniversary of Hatton's death.

The boxing legend was found dead last September, with a coroner subsequently ruling he died from hanging. Barker was the last person to interview Hatton before his passing and has since raised £47,000 for Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), an organisation for which Hatton served as a long-standing ambassador.

The gruelling expedition saw Barker cycle 1,800 miles through the UK, France and Spain with bikes provided by Certini, swim 21 miles in open water off Dover, before completing the final leg by sail after just a single day of training, courtesy of Pretty Sailing.

Barker enjoyed a well-deserved day off from his arduous schedule in Gibraltar on the Saturday, enjoying exploring all the sights thanks to the support of Visit Gibraltar, before training commenced on Sunday ahead of the solo sailing mission on Monday.

He said: "To cross the finish line today, exactly a year since we lost Ricky, was meant to be. I've done this all for Ricky and he's been in my thoughts every step of the way.

"I've cycled 1,800 miles, swam 21 miles and sailed to Morocco, but that's nothing compared to the strength it takes to look someone in the eye, or pick up the phone and say, 'I'm not OK. I need help.' That's the hard part, and we can't ignore the fact that around three in four people who die by suicide in the UK are men.

Ricky Hatton died just over a year ago. (Image: Getty)

"We need to make it easier for everyone, particularly men, to have that conversation and know they'll be heard."

"We've raised over £47,000 so far, which could fund the equivalent of more than 3,800 potentially life-saving calls to CALM. That means more to me than any distance I've covered. This challenge is over, but the conversation must carry on."

Donations remain open on The Longest Round’s JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/page/thelongestround